Life Goes On
by Danielle Cullen96
Summary: When a new danger arrives on the caves doorstep, the family is split. But, a cry for help brings everyone back together...only to face a challenge. Is this the end?
1. Chapter 1 Life Goes On

Chapter 1

Life goes on

Melanie and I were taking a stroll around the caves. She wanted to go check on Lacey and Candy. Pet's memories swarmed my head, pushing out my past life's memories with Mel. I didn't want that, but at the same time I wanted to start new, a human as possible as can be. We reached the two girls room and knocked on the cardboard door.

"Hello? Who's there?" Someone asked. I thought it sounded like Candy; her voice was soft and sweet…..unlike Lacey's shrill annoying voice.

"It's just us, Wanda and Melanie!" I quickly answered. I could never get used to my soft, high voice! Before I could move, Melanie opened the door a crack and peeked inside.

"Can we come in?" Melanie said softly. I couldn't help but think about how much I missed her body, even though we were both much happier in our own bodies…..there were some consequences. Poor Candy had to deal with Lacey all the time, it's a good thing there were other people here. I think Candy would have gone crazy with only Lacey here!

"Sure! You guys are always welcome!" Candy piped. I thought I heard a smiled in her voice as well. As we walked in I found I was right. There was smiley Candy, sitting on her mattress with Lacey on hers. Lacey got up and turned to the small bookshelf behind the beds. On the shelves there were two pairs of crisp sheets, four board game boxes, five random books, and three changes of cloths for each girl. All of these were courtesy of many raids. Lacey came back with blue jean shorts and a tank top in her hands.

"I'm going to go take a bath. You guys make yourselves at home." Lacey said. She pushed the cardboard door out of the way and walked down the tunnel.

"Well, what do you guys want? Are we needed?" Candy asked, she seemed to be hiding something. I wondered what. Candy wasn't one to hide stuff from people. Melanie sat down on Lacey's bed and immediately started to talk to Candy. I walked over to the bookshelf and took a book from the stack. I sat next to Melanie and flipped through it. After awhile I got bored. I put the book away and started to think of questions to ask Candy to get out what she was hiding.

"So, what have you been doing?" I wondered innocently. Everyone knew when I was lying so lying was out of the question. What would I say?

"Oh…Lacey and I have been talking. Actually, I'm very thankful to you guys for saving me! I don't think I could take much more of Lacey's shrill voice and nagging questions!!" She laughed. Everyone hated Lacey's voice and her attitude.

We stayed for awhile longer then left to go work in the fields. Candy was sweet and I liked her. I was glad she stayed with us.


	2. Chapter 2 Red Roses

Chapter 2

Red Roses

I yawned. Dinner had dragged on too late. My voice was tired from answering so many questions about the Dolphin planet. Then I looked at my Ian. He grinned at me and I suddenly found strength to make it until everyone else was tired. More questions and more answers. This went on for another half hour and then people started to get up and leave. When only a few more people were left, talking amongst each other, Ian came up to me and put his arm around my waist. Everyone turned to us as he whisked me out of the kitchen.

"I need to get our little Wanda to bed!" Ian joked. The stragglers laughed and turned back to their conversations.

"Where are we going?" I hissed. I didn't want to be pampered.

"To our bedroom. I mean what I say." Ian grinned and pulled me into his arms. My Ian carried me in his strong arms all the way to our bedroom and set me on the bed, turning away to close the door tightly. I got up and walked to the small table in between our beds and opened a drawer. I pulled out a pair of shorts and a baggy shirt.

"Oh…you won't need those tonight Hun." Ian whispered in my ear. I didn't hear him walk up to me and his words made me jump.

"Why not?" I squeaked. I thought I knew where this was going. Ian pulled me away from the open drawer and to the front of the room. We kissed. I defiantly knew where this was going.

That morning I woke up, happiness filling my heart. What a night it had been! I got up, dressed myself and looked at my sleeping Ian. He was sleeping soundly, undisturbed by me. I decided to leave him to sleep and slipped out of the room. The dark halls were quiet and empty, hinting that everyone was either already in the kitchen or still asleep. I didn't know what time it was so I continued on the kitchen. The buzzing of peoples murmurs filled my ears before I saw them, something was up.


	3. Chapter 3 Seeker

Chapter 3

Seeker

The low hum of voices made danger clear. Something was definitely wrong. As I reached the kitchen, my family stared at me with angry eyes. What now? Melanie stood up from sitting on Jared's lap and strode over to me, her eyes pained.

"Wanda….another seeker found us. They've taken Freedom and there's no doubt that it will bring more back to take the rest of us." She filled me in as she pulled me to the chair where Jared was sitting. Jamie got up and let me have his seat but I quickly backed away, shaking my head. The murmurs started up again, turning into angry shouts.

"Ok! First we need to think up a plan." Kyle shouted, quieting the group. I turned to see him at the head of the table, his strong arms pressing down on it as if he were looking at a map in front of him. Lily stood her eyes wet and cold.

"We need to leave. Now. I'm not going to let the same thing that happened to Wesley happen to anyone else. We've already lost Freedom; we can't lose any more of us." She muttered her voice barely audible. More tears began to fall from her face and I saw Maggie stand to hug her.

"She's right. We need to leave as soon as possible. And the other cave will not work, my people do not give up easily and we won't last long without water. Does anyone have another safe house?" I asked my voice timid at first but growing stronger as I gained confidence. Many of the people shook their heads, but Jared stood.

"I could take the women and children to my cabin, we just need to prepare." He said.

"What about us?" Kyle asked. He was clueless.

"The rest of you will stay and fight. We need as many men as we can get to fight off the seekers. No one can find the cabin so once you are there you cannot leave. Now, everyone go pack, if the seekers are too many then we must fall back and take off. Jeb, Kyle, come with me, we need to plan. Where is Ian Wanda?"

"Sleeping. I left him to sleep because he sounded tired yesterday." I muttered, knowing I would have to leave him. How could I? I loved him too much. Jared nodded and I went to go get him.

A few minutes later I was walking down the long halls, filling Ian in on the way. He was horror struck when we finally got to the recreation room where Jeb, Kyle, and Jared were sitting in a circle of light. We sat down in the space the three men had made for us and listened to the update on their discussion. Jeb agreed with Jared and Kyle about taking the women and children to Jared's cabin. Ian was quick to agree……then insist that I stay with him.

"She needs to go with the rest! If we get caught they will give her to another body, then you won't ever see her again!" Jeb argued.

"I need to know she is safe at all times. If she goes to the cabin, I won't know what happens to her!" Ian returned. They were talking as if I weren't there…..so typical! I opened my mouth to tell them that I would make the decision but Ian slapped his hand over it.

The meeting took awhile, as we had food and bedding to attend to for the women. I would take two or three women to town to get supplies when we got to the cabin and had settled in. The men would stay in the caves with the gun and knives. When the seekers came, they would fight and kill. Three cars would be needed to take us to the Cabin, leaving only one for a get-away vehicle.

It was almost 10:00 when we were done and on our way to the kitchen. Ian had agreed to let me go, but would stay in constant contact by phone. We were leaving tomorrow.


	4. Chapter 4 Moving

Chapter 4

Moving

The cars were ready, all except the jeep. This was going to be the getaway car for our men if things went wrong. _If things went wrong…._ I didn't want to think about that right now. When the time came, I would meet my Ian again…maybe. I stood beside the convertible, the car that was going to take Melanie, Lily, and I to the cabin. The other two girls were already in the car. Jared was beside Melanie, staring at her with eyes full of sadness. No one wanted to leave the safety of the caves or their family. It had to be done. Ian came over and we kissed goodbye. This kiss was long, slow, and mournful. The perfect farewell. He held me in his arms, my small body against his tall muscular. It ended too soon. Ian gently pulled my arms away from him and walked away. I knew that this was very difficult for him to do, so I kept my mouth shut.

"Be safe and stay together! It's harder to….to…..to get you if you don't split up." I warned. Kyle nodded and Jeb waved to us. That was the last picture I would have of my men. The men that would save us.

We arrived at the cabin around noon, having driven for four hours. The cabin was extremely small so most of the women would sleep in tents. Melanie and I helped the kids settle into their room and the women began to unpack. Everyone helped to stock up the kitchen before trooping outside to put up the tents. When we finally finished getting set up, Melanie pulled out a small silver cell phone and dialed Jeb's number. She spoke to him for a few minutes, and then hung up. She didn't move, didn't breath, just stood there. _Something's wrong….someone is in trouble. _I guessed. Melanie started crying, dropping to the ground and letting her head fall into her hands. I stooped to comfort her, but there was no stopping her tears. Lilly came over and helped me bring her inside. Once we got her into a chair, Melanie told her story.

"I called Jeb to see how things were going. Jeb said-" She burst into tears again. This was so unlike Melanie! "Jeb said that the jeep had been found and taken. There's no way for them to escape. They've taken down a few, but the others are hidden in the caves. They keep calling for back up, more are arriving everyday!" Melanie finished. The news hung over the small group like frost on the ground. Many things ran through my head, images of Ian and Jared trying to fight of an army of seekers, Jamie lying on the cold operating table, prying eyes going through my belongings left behind. I knew we would have to go back and help.

"We have to go back. I'll take Melanie, Lilly, Sharon, Lacey, Trudy, Paige and Maggie in the van. The rest of you can stay here and take care of the children. You still need supplies so Sunny, you take Heidi in the convertible to the nearest town. Get ready to go; we will leave in an hour." No one protested since I knew the most about what we were dealing with. The girls got up and immediately began to gather what they needed. I moved to comfort Melanie, but she was already in the van, staring at the dashboard. _Poor Melanie….This must be so hard for her._ I thought with a sigh. Soon, everyone was ready. Sunny was driving the convertible, Heidi in the passenger's seat; Melanie sat beside me while I drove. Lacey, Maggie, Lilly, Paige, Trudy and Sharon rode in the back. Ruth Ann, Carol, and Lucinda were there, waving goodbye to the two cars. We split up at the first intersection, Sunny turning left while we kept straight. Back into the mountains I went, pushing the van as fast as the law would let. We finally reached the Caves and found that it was blocked off by a herd (yes I said herd) of black vans. Ten, maybe twenty vans full of seekers kept us from our men, trapped in the lethal passages and caves that we had once called home. I pulled out the badge I had taken from Lacey's black coat pocket. Melanie realized my idea and nodded. We all got out of the van and approached the seekers.

"I am Light Over Shining Waters, this is Christa, Dawn in the Evening, Songs in the Darkness, Emily, Burns Living Flowers, Racing Song, and Petals Toward the Sky. They are trainees and I brought them along to help. Where are the caves?" I announced. Names came to me easily now, since I had lots of practice. I had even honored Pet by using her name. Maybe. The Seekers didn't give my entrance a second thought. Two broke away from the group and led us to our home. It hadn't changed much except for the occasional blazing lights and flinch worthy yells erecting from the many cracks in the walls. Inside, it felt like stepping onto a battle field. Men and Women in black coats were running through the halls. Once I saw a glimpse of Jared as he ran through the main room. The square of plowed dirt had been trampled on, some of the mirrors cracked. The two seekers took off after him, leaving my group alone. I turned to the girls behind me.

"Ok, Two to a room. If you find any….any seeker bodies, take their clothes. We need to fit in. Pair up with someone who has a phone or a watch and find the boys. Meet in the Recreation Room in an hour, bottom left corner. If you're not there three minutes past the hour, we will assume you are dead and we will move on without you. Therefore, try not to die ladies!" Melanie paired up with me, Paige with Trudy, Sharon with her mother, and Lilly with Lacey. We all went separate ways, Melanie steering me towards the baths. A figure loomed ahead of us, running our way. He leaped on me and brought his hand back to knock me out, but stopped. That's face….I had seen it before. "Wanda?" Asked a familiar voice.


	5. Chapter 5 Fighting

Chapter 5

Fighting

The man pulled me up and we moved towards a crack in the wall. This gave me a chance to see who this familiar person was. He was handsome and tall, with black hair and dark blue eyes. Those eyes had stared at me before…… "Ian?? Ian your alive!" I cried, flinging myself at him. My Ian chuckled and kissed my hair. We sat down and he told me all that had happened.

"Jamie is hiding in the Bathroom. Don't worry Mel; I gave him a couple of sharp rocks in case someone got past. I've been patrolling this hall for an hour. So far I've met only three of the dang things. No offense to you, love." Ian murmured. Melanie, suddenly restless, took up the patrol while we talked. I rest my head on his shoulder and closed my eyes, feeling oddly safe. Footsteps came slowly around the bend. Melanie had already come that way….she was in the bathroom with Jamie by now. That could only mean one thing; a seeker was on our tail. Ian pushed me down as far as I could go, into the shadows. He got up, unhooked a knife from his pocket and waited. A woman with a crow bar edged toward us. I could tell she was scared, because the woman was hesitant to approach. Ian obviously wanted me to survive, but I had to save her from herself.

"Don't fight him. You will die. Let us free you so you can go to another world in peace." I murmured. She gasped and stumbled back.

"N-No, I can't s-skip! Please d-don't k-k-kill me!" She cried. The girl fell on some rocks and landed hard against the wall, out cold. Ian grabbed some rope from behind a cleft in the wall. He had her tied up and on his shoulder in no time. Together we took the woman to Jamie. On the way, we met Mel. Ian deposited the body and turned around to continue the patrol. When it came time for Melanie and I to go to the Rec Room, Ian came with us. When everyone had arrived, Jared (who was now holding Mel) had been found by Paige and Trudy, Jeb was with Sharon and Maggie, Lilly and Lacey had found Doc and Andy. The only ones not accounted for were Heath, Aaron, and Kyle. Jeb suggested we send a few people to look for them and then all of us congregate in the Kitchen. So it was settled, Jared, Melanie, Ian, and I would take Docs hallways, while Lilly, Andy, Paige, and Trudy would take the entry ways. Jeb, Lacey, Sharon, Maggie, and Doc would work their way up to the kitchen, retrieving Jamie on the way.

"Next issue, how we are taking care of the seekers. Ian has been knocking them out to separate them from the humans later. Who else has been doing this?" My question raised only a few hands. That was not good. "Ok, for everyone else, murder is not an option. We want to save the humans right? That's not going to happen if you kill them first." Everyone agreed and we split up again. Jared took the lead of our group, Mel and I in the middle, and Ian bringing up the back.

It wasn't long before we came upon another seeker. This one was a scrawny middle-aged man wielding a small gun. He didn't back down as easily as the woman had. It took both Jared and Ian to bring him down. Melanie took him and his gun to the kitchen while we continued on. Finally, we succeeded in locating Aaron. He joined the group, giving us another weapon. Jared motioned for us to be quiet as we neared Doc's "hospital". Inside were maybe sixteen seekers, all huddled in one corner. Two I recognized as the souls who had brought us in. A plan formed in my mind. "Let me and Mel go in. They think we are souls. We can get information on what they're doing next!" I whispered to Jared. He hesitated, but in the end, Melanie and I found ourselves about to be in a very dangerous situation….

"…They won't give up. This is the biggest rally I have ever seen! We need to bring in more now." One was saying.

Another replied; "No, we have all the seekers we need. They can spare a couple more from the blockade outside. I mean, they already have eight. Flies at Night, would you please call Jane and have her send three seekers up the escape tunnel? We can't afford to risk them up the main tunnel. And-" But she didn't get to finish, because at that moment, we ran through the door.

"Are they gone?? Are they following us?? That was too close!" Mel huffed, looking over her shoulder. I sat down where I was and rocked back and forth.

"They knocked us out! We only woke up in time; everyone had disappeared, so we ran as fast as we could. We met one down the hall but he ran away." I told the fake story as if it were the last words I would ever say. Melanie sat down next to me and hugged me.

"Burns Living Flowers, Petals to the Moon, where are your colleagues?" Said the one of the seekers I knew. I just shook my head, not knowing what to say. I don't know what they thought happened, but it aroused anger.

"Ok, we need to find our missing seekers and draw the humans into one place. Burns Living Flowers, Petals to the Moon, you take Flies at Night and Paul and try to find as many souls as you can." Said the man who was obviously the leader. The four of us got up and walked out of the room, only to be met by Aaron and Jared. They took care of the men before they could make a commotion, and everyone left the seekers hideaway. On the way to the kitchen, I told Ian about the new seekers who would be coming.

"The more the merrier! Let's go surprise our guests before returning to the group." He whispered. We gave Flies at Night to Aaron, taking Mel with us. Jared and Aaron could take the seekers back and tell Jeb we were bringing more. I walked silently behind Melanie and Ian, being the smallest of the three. The muscles I had managed to build up still weren't enough to prove my new body to be equal to Melanie's experienced one. We waited for what seemed like forever, pacing back and forth. Finally, we heard footsteps, but there were more than what Flies at Night was supposed to have ordered. It sounded like five or six were coming up the tunnel. More than we could handle. Ian stopped pacing and listened, his face growing paler and paler by the minute. There were way more than six, about ten coming. Melanie turned tail and ran away, Ian following her. He pulled my arm as he passed me, tugging me along with him. Behind me, I heard the sharp noises of guns being cocked. Bullets flew all around us as we ran, but I didn't look back. There was barely enough time for us to reach the Kitchen, but when we did, we found a way different scene than I would have imagined.


	6. Authors Note

**What do you think the kitchen scene should be? **Post your thoughts as a review, since I don't know any other way to do this. I need ideas on what should happen, even though I already have things planned. A little. You might have a better idea than the one I already have! We won't know until you answer, so do it! Now! :P

-Danielle Cullen96

P.s. If you don't know what scene I'm talking about, you obviously haven't read my story yet! Read it before you embarrass yourself with a totally ridiculous idea, like the humans turning into flowers. and no, that was not my original idea!


	7. Chapter 6

**And now ladies and gentlemen……..the chapter you've all been waiting for! Hope you like it. I didn't get many comments with your ideas for this chapter, but those who did; thanks!**

The kitchen was full, yes, but somehow the seekers had gotten there before us. My family was badly outnumbered, even with a few seekers tending to their wounded. There was strong Kyle, trying to break free from the four that were binding him with rope. Everyone was there, tied and defeated. Ian stepped in front of me and pushed me back, Jared doing the same with Melanie. We knew they wanted us to try to escape, but it was impossible now. We had been seen. Two seekers popped out, blocking the exit while the ones acting as guards came to secure us. I refused to be separated from Ian, even now, so we were bound together, holding hands.

"These humans are just trying to stay alive. Please, don't do this..." I whispered to the woman seeker closest to me. She looked up and noticed for the first time how the mirrors reflected off my eyes.

"Don't worry dear; you can be shipped off to another planet. You don't have to go with them!" The woman laughed and patted my head as if I was a worried child. Another, hearing our exchange huffed and glared at me.

"She deserves to die with them, betraying her kind." He growled, turning his back on me. Melanie was trying to reach Jamie with hands tied behind her back. It wasn't going so well…she was crying, Jamie was crying, and a male seeker was whacking them both.

I just couldn't take it anymore. I struggled to free myself from the rope holding me and Ian together and stood up. "Please just leave us in peace! We don't want to harm any of you." All turned to me, the smallest one with the biggest voice. My strawberry blonde hair fell in front of my face, blocking sight in my right eye. The woman seeker who had patted my head walked over and pushed me down again.

"Young lady, what is your name?" She asked.

"I am Wanda O'Shea, soul and human, and this is my family that you are murdering just because they are human!" I screamed. It was my last stand, and I was making it a good one. A memorable one. This is all I can remember as I walk down the hall. They knocked me out with the butt of a gun, Ian said. When I awoke, I found myself and the others in a giant jail cell. Everyone was huddled together, hugging and crying. Melanie, Jared, and Jamie, Sharon and Maggie, Ian cuddling me. We didn't have to wait long, for six seekers came to get us. I walked down the long passageway to death holding Ian's hand. In front of us, Melanie and Jared were walking the same way. Jamie walked alongside Jeb. The door was solid metal, not even a crack in the middle. Seekers in front held the door open for our procession. Once inside, a freezing wind wrapped itself around me. It was the claws of an evil, murdering death. The room we were in was an airtight ring around a concrete middle room. I squeezed Ian's hand tighter and he leaned down to kiss my hair. We both knew this was it. I pulled him closer and we kissed more passionately. The seekers weaved through the crowd and pulled open another pair of metal doors to the middle room. My family processed into the room with silent ease. We stood in a circle, holding hands and bowing our heads in prayer. It was all we could do, even if we were a wild band of humans. The first blow of scorching heat announced our fate. Death by fire. So slow, so incredible to onlookers. I was furious at the gentle souls I used to call family. How could they do this? Wasn't it the code to kill rebel humans with one shot to the head? How could the pacifist souls participate in a death as barbaric as this? My head was reeling, but I knew we only had seconds till the first wave of flames contacted our delicate skin. My gaze drifted over the humans with a sad conscience, pausing on the face of Melanie, Jared, Jamie, Jeb, and finally Ian. Then I forced myself to look at the women I had forced to die with me; Lilly, Sharon, Maggie, Lacey, Trudy, and Paige. They were staring at the floor, eyes already glazed over. Grief and guilt nearly swept me off my feet. Suddenly, I was engulfed in pain. Fire swelled all around me, yet I felt myself being pulled through it into Ian's arms. He was my last. My last touch, my last love, my last sight. A scream sounded near me, I was sure it was mine. It was a scream of pain and fury, the last thing I heard. Then there was nothing. Pitch black emptiness and sorrowful memories. Was I still alive? No, I saw the faces of appearing people. Melanie, Jeb, Maggie, Jamie, Trudy, they came to me smiling. Ian took my hand, smiling down at me. Together, my family walked into the blazing white light that awaited us.


End file.
